Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) on 2nd November 2022, has approved higher ethanol price derived from different sugarcane based raw materials under the EBP Programme for the forthcoming sugar season 2022-23 during ESY 2022-23 from 1st December 2022 to 31st October, 2023.
Government has been implementing Ethanol Blended Petrol (EBP) Programme wherein OMCs sell petrol blended with ethanol up to 10%. This programme has been extended to whole of India except Union Territories of Andaman Nicobar and Lakshadweep islands with effect from 01st April, 2019 to promote the use of alternative and environment friendly fuels. This intervention also seeks to reduce import dependence for energy requirements and give boost to agriculture sector.
All distilleries will be able to take benefit of the scheme and large number of them are expected to supply ethanol for the EBP programme. Remunerative price to ethanol suppliers will help in early payment to cane farmers, in the process contributing to minimize difficulty of sugarcane farmers.
Government has taken many decisions for reduction of cane farmer’s dues including diversion of sugar and sugar-based feedstock for production of ethanol. Now, as, large quantity of ethanol is available right from the beginning of sugar season due to conversion of sugarcane juice and B heavy molasses to ethanol, it has been decided to redefine Ethanol Supply Year as a period of ethanol supply from 1st November of a year to 31st October of the following year from 1st November, 2023 onwards.
